saavi insight February edition

What goes into creating the insight? That question seems to often be asked, so I thought it might be good to answer right here for all to read. The insight is a client run publication as it says above and it relies on client contribution and collaboration. Without participation, the insight is short on word count. That is okay though. As the editor of the saavi insight, I try to fill the pages as best I could and am often heard soliciting others for contributions. I will fill in where needed though to keep it going. Regularity is the biggest assurance that something will continue. If we do not publish on time or skip an entire month, people will forget about us and the paper will cease to be. By continuing, we encourage others to get involved in the process. It is a slow process, but anything worth doing is worth waiting for it to happen properly. This month, we have lost one of our most dedicated writers, Rebekah Gilbreath. We will all miss her wit. Elizabeth Hafford has started to write for us though, and will likely become a long time contributor. She has some wonderful things in this issue for your enjoyment. In honor of the theme of Valentine’s Day, I included a love story of a different kind. People often think of love belonging to the young, but what we all hope for is something more substantial. I hope this story reflects that kind of love. And I hope that the readers find the inspiration to get involved in any way. If you do not know what you could offer, let’s put our heads together. Our client advice columnist, though changing through the coming years, will always remain anonymous. This will give questioners a stronger feeling of anonymity themselves. Ask Eyesa is a great source of answers and advice on a myriad of blindness related subjects. And just as you could send your questions to Eyesa at the email address of askeyesa@saavi.us you could also send any suggestions or concerns to the same address. They will get forwarded to the proper person. If you would rather send your questions through hard copy you could put them in the suggestion boxes that are found in the lobby of your particular saavi. If you ever have something you would like to see in The Insight or perhaps you have something you would like to contribute for consideration; contact me at thirdeyeonlyinaz@gmail.com ****“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” Malcolm X **** Robots; are they are future coworkers? By Elizabeth Hafford As sad as it is to say, it is happening now. Take a minute and think of all the technology that surrounds our lives on a daily basis. Smartphones, remote controls, smart TV’s, Computers/Lap Tops, Smart Cars, fax, Skype, automated phone calls/ operators, smart homes, vacuums, and the list goes on and on and on and on . The inaugural Australian Industry Report, released in late December by the federal government, suggests as many as half a million jobs i.e.: accountants, supermarket cashiers, secretaries, typists and bank tellers’ even pharmacists in what are largely white-collar jobs are threatened by automation, robots and artificial intelligence, which is a growing fear that could cost millions from the middle-class into unemployment and poverty. An Oxford University study, which predicted that 47 per cent of jobs would be put at risk over the next two decades because of technology. For blue collar workers, that automated future has already arrived. At Australia”s ports, the stevedore workforce has been cut dramatically and replaced by 27 robots. E-commerce platform Catch of the Day employs just four people and 70 robots in its Melbourne warehouse. Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, one of the world’s largest banks, will introduce a humanoid robot starting this spring. The robot named NAO, who is only 23 inches tall and weighs about 9 pounds, who also understands 19 languages, will be able to answer customers’ questions about bank’s services, NAO also can analyze the customers facial expressions and tone of voice, said the spokesperson Kazunobu Takahara.Now here in the USA; San Jose, California a hardware store owned by Lowe’s has been testing robots as customer service since November. The Robot will help you locate items in the store, and share real-time information about product promotions and inventory, the robots can speak multiple languages and remotely connect with expert employees in other locations to answer project-related questions. At, The Aloft Hotel in Silicon Valley, Cupertino, California, they also were testing the so-called “Botlers” ( robotic butler) to deliver items such as towels and bottle water to guest rooms. ‘Technology is not to be feared; on the contrary it is to be embrace. We just need to make sure we are educating ourselves and our workforce to be able to take advantage of the newer high skilled jobs that technology is creating. After all, someone is going to have to build and repair the robots. The question I keep asking myself is “Has the human factor been lost in today’s society?” Unfortunately I believe so, the other day I was at a birthday party and everyone there were on their phones either texting or on some kind of social media. What has happen to the art of conversation or interacting with each other? ****““The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller **** A True Love Story by Eve Sanchez With just a dribble of milk coming from the corner of his mouth dropping onto his chin and a single Cheerio on his shirt front; he let the spoon down where his hand lay on the table unable to hold it any longer. There was a hint of tears glistening in his eyes. She, with tears of her own, turned away, afraid that if he saw he would misunderstand their meaning. He was a proud man. A strong man who worked hard for the greater part of the fifty years she had known him. Always ready to lend a hand, but never needing others to get things done. Not until it happened at least and then everything changed. Injuries were a common occurrence and blood shed was definitely never anything to be alarmed about. In his line of work and personal work (for there was little time for play) bleeding was rarely measured by the drop. So for just a few drops to do what they did is almost impossible to fathom. Oh sure, realistically it was more than that, but not by much. Anyway, that is how the doctor explained it. The vessel burst and a few drops of blood seeped into the brain. It was eight months ago, but the tears just started recently. She figured he didn”t cry before because he wasn”t truly aware of what happened. She knew she didn”t cry, because she just didn”t have the time for it. What with the feeding, the bathing, the dressing, and the diapers; crying would have been a selfish waste of time. Besides he always did what needed to be done, and he expected no less of her. She would not dishonor him now. Now things were different though. He was aware and working again. Working to regain. Yes he was getting better, getting stronger. She could again see the man she married, the man she loved. She always knew he was there, but she was glad that he was coming back to her now. She understood his tears of frustration that came with the awareness of his body”s weaknesses and vulnerability. She did not think he would understand her tears though. Her tears of happiness at knowing the effort he was putting forth to come back to her. A weaker man would have given up and died long ago. A weaker woman would not have fought so hard alongside of him to pull him through. He was a strong man and she was a strong woman. For different reasons; together they cried. She took a deep breath, secretly wiping her tears, and turned back to him with a smile. He smile back and slowly reached for the spoon. With only so much time allowed for tears; the work must continue. ****“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” Norman Vincent Peale**** Short Cut Keys by Laurence Stone Ctrl x, c or v = cut, copy or paste Ctrl z = undo last key stroke Ctrl a = select all Shift arrow keys select adjacent items in a folder Ctrl arrow keys allows you to select new items without unselecting previous selected items in a folder ****“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Aristotle Onassis **** Events Calendar: National Federation of the Blind meetings and events; The Phoenix Chapter holds their meetings on the first Saturday of each month at 9:30am at the saavi office. The Tucson Chapter also has their meetings on the first Saturday of the month at the saavi office. They are at 1:00pm. Yuma will be meeting at the saavi office also (GO SAAVI!), be on the third Monday at 3:00pm. The East Valley chapter meetings are held every 3rd Saturday of the month. They meet at Fiesta Mall from 1pm to approximately 3:30pm. The address is 1445 W Southern Ave in Mesa. To get to the meeting room, enter the mall through the Best Buy entrance on the lower level. Walk straight through to the mall. The meeting room is to the right once you get out to the mall entrance. If you have any questions or can”t find the room, please call Megan Homrighausen at 480-510-6196. After the meetings some of the chapter members will meet at Old Chicago to have dinner and talk from about 4pm to about 6:30 or 7pm. It”s something the members look forward to every month. The address to Old Chicago is 1665 S Alma School Rd, Mesa. West Valley will be meeting the first Tuesday of every odd numbered month. They will be eating at The Olive Garden at 2710 West North Ln. near metro center and the time will be 5 to 7. If anybody would like to get involved with and learn more about advocacy you could contact Donald Porterfield at donaldpfield@gmail.com and he will keep you informed. Have you ever tried to get a hold of Sun Tran or Sun Van? You likely have the number to call which is (520) 792-9222, but if you want to say something and be sure it is heard it is best to send an email to get a response. The address is suntraninfo@tucsonaz.gov. For Phoenix Public Transit and Dial-A-Ride, you could contact Maria Hyatt at (602) 534-6765 or send her a note at maria.hyatt@phoenix.gov. The annual youth and adult writing contests sponsored by the NFB Writers’ Division officially opened on January 1st and will close April 1st. Adult contests, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and stories for youth are open to all entrants eighteen and over. The youth writing contest, poetry and fiction, are to promote Braille literacy and excellence in writing and entries must be submitted in Braille. The contest is divided into three groups, determined by grade level – elementary, middle, and high school. Prizes for contest winners range up to $100 for adults and up to $30 for youth. All contest winners will be announced the first week in July, at the Writers’ Division business meeting during the NFB casino online national convention, held in Orlando, Florida. In addition, a list of winners will appear on our website, http://writers.nfb.org All winners from both, the adult and youth contests will be considered for publication in our Division’s magazine, Slate & Style and sent out to all participants. For additional contest details and submission guidelines, go to our website, http://writers.nfb.org The Hadley School for the Blind has many correspondent courses and seminars to choose from that are fun and educational. If you have not already, you need to check them out at Hadley.edu. New Course Announcement: Independent Living: Personal Care is now open for enrollment. Personal care issues are among the first challenges people face when losing vision. The good news is that various tips, techniques, and tricks help solve personal care issues. This course explores personal care issues from organizing and identifying supplies to dental care and wellness tips. It then focuses on health issues, from addressing minor cuts and burns to taking medication and caring for oneself when sick. It explores both female- and male-related topics, from hair, nail, and skin care to makeup and feminine hygiene, to shaving and trimming facial hair. Discovering ways to manage personal care will help the student live more independently. Learn more about what they offer and subscribe to hadley.edu/podcasts.asp. On February 28th, from 10 until 2, saavi will hold its scrabble match in Phoenix. Refreshments will be provided and you may even walk out with a door-prize. Everyone is welcome, so feel free to bring a friend. ****”“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John F. Kennedy **** Honey-Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs contributed by Elizabeth Hafford Ingredients 4skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1/3 cup honey 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil Directions 1. Lay chicken thighs into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. 2. Whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, and basil together in a bowl; pour over the chicken. 3. Cook on Low for 6 hours. ****“I can”t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean **** Ask Eyesa is a monthly column where questions could be sent. The answers may not come straight from the horse’s mouth, but the advice givers will always try their best. Questions could be about anything, but will usually be blindness related for benefit of all readers. Send queries to the editor at askeyesa@saavi.us for consideration.

Dear Eyesa, My girlfriend is totally blind. I want to do something special for her on Valentine’s Day and was thinking to decorate her room with hearts, but she won’t see them. What do I do to make it special? Signed, Blind Love. Dear Blind Love, Your heart seems to be in the right place, but remember that there is so much more than vision for someone to know what is going on. Fill all of the senses. Fill the room with wonderful aromas, play some romantic music, think about giving her a massage and feeding her strawberries or something delectable. Most of all though, you need to remember that what is most important is how you make her feel. If the visual decorations put you in the mood, she will see that. Oh, and do not forget the chocolate! ****“With self-discipline most anything is possible.” Theodore Roosevelt**** Timely Trivia: 1. Valentine’s Day is mentioned by which character in which play by William Shakespeare? 2. What year did Arizona become a state? 3. When was the first officially recognized President’s Day? 4. How many states gained statehood in the month of February? Insight Trivia 1. What did Malcolm X say? 2. How many jobs has an Oxford University Study predicted to be potentially lost? 3. What is the new class called that is offered through Hadley? 4. What did Aristotle Onassis say? (All answers to above will be listed in next issue, so you must keep reading the saavi insight Answers to January’s Insight Games Timely Trivia: 1. What is the significance of January 4th? It is National Trivia Day. 2. How much snowfall equals 1 inch of rain? Though it fluctuates due to various conditions, the average is 10 inches of snow to 1 inch of rain. 3. How old was Louis Braille when he first came up with the concept of the tactile dots we all love? When he was 12 years old, he was introduced to Charles Barbier who had created a system of 12 raised dots for the military. Louis took this, decreased the cells to 6 dots and refined the code by the time he was 15. 4. How far does the ball drop in New York’s Time Square? At 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, the Times Square Ball will start to descend 70 feet. As it comes halfway below the numerals of the New Year, the ball goes dark, the numbers light up and the year 2015 dawns in New York. Who Am I? My favorite color is either red or Purple. My all-time favorite movie is The Godfather. I was born in Tucson Arizona and love the University of Arizona Wildcats basketball team. I am also devoted to the Pittsburg Steelers. And I am a sucker for any kind of chips and dip. A. Amy Porterfield B. Michael Gordon C. Carol Lopez It may be obvious to many that Amy Porterfield is the University of Arizona fan, but any kind of chips and dip? I hope Donald provides a good variety to pick from for her. Insight Trivia 1. What or who was taken from Rebekah? Her beloved longboard. 2. What is the first step in the Short Form of Tai Chi? The Golden Dragon spreads its wings. 3. Dr. Maurer stated that confrontation and fear are what? They are corrosive. 4. Must all entries into the writing contest be submitted in Braille? No, only the youth are required to submit in Braille along with their electronic copies like the adults. Love yourself first and the rest will come.